Saturday, July 17, 2010

PBBY Chair On Jollibee-PBBY Partnership

Yesterday, PBBY signed a MOA with Jollibee as major partner in the celebration of the 2010 National Children's Book Day. Museo Pambata was the perfect venue for this event.

To start with, the NCBD poster is sponsored by Jollibee. Activities celebrating books, reading and children's literature is scheduled until December. What I'm looking forward though is the chance of meeting AGA MUHLACH! Dear me, my childhood crush. PBBY and Jollibee will be working together to make MaAGA ang Pasko more meaningful by donating more Filipino children's books to its many donors. This does not mean though that the PBBY members who are in the publishing industry will sell or donate the books. Book donation is open to the public, especially, Jollibee loyalists. Since PBBY is a multi-sectoral and non-profit organization, other sectoral members can help in determining good titles for donations. As it is, we have a teacher, a researcher, a book reviewer and two librarians who can do this.

For the occasion, I was asked to give a staple speech. I've prepared something, of course. Read the piece below:

We all know what Jollibee is. In fcat, Jollibee is everywhere. In the nooks and crannies of Manila's congested cities you'd find an orange bee smiling at you, inviting you, your family and friends to partake a meal of Chicken Joy and Jolly Spaghetti. You go up north to Santiago, Isabela and there you'll find the bee. You fly to Catarman, Samar and the bee is present still. Down south in Cagayan De Oro, the bee's ever-jolly presence is there. It is in TV, in print ads, in the movies and yes, even online. I checked the website. It's highly interactive.

PBBY on the other hand is the opposite. But, for the past twenty-seven years, it has not ceased its passionate effort to develop and promote books, reading and children's literature. Every year, PBBY leads the nation in celebrating National Children's Book Day the best way it can. With awards honoring the best written (Salanga) and illustrated (Alacala) story for children; storytelling sessions, arts and book exhibits in malls and the National Library; workshops for teachers, librarians and parents and professionals in the allied disciplines; recognition of people who've made a dent in the Philippine Children's Literature and institutions whose projects support the advocacy, PBBY is also cognizant of the necessity to bring all these closer to the Filipino child.

It is for this reason why PBBY partners with Jollibee. It is the concern on the Filipino child's growth and development that PBBY and Jollibee have in common. In this time and age when we live dangerously, if not, with more risque than we can handle, values and literacy skills are tools we need to equip our children with.

What better way to do this but soak Filipino children in books written for them. Books that promote Filipino culture and values. Books that speak of the changing influences and dynamics of the Filipino family. And books that mirror issues relevant to their experiences.

In this coming together, PBBY and Jollibee collaborate to nurture and nourish the Filipino child. May this collaboration fuel greater activities and projects that foster a lifelong love for books and reading so that the Filipino child may grow responsible, culturally rooted yet globally competitive. Good morning to one and all!